Nothing
by Sidorak-000
Summary: A look into the Mind of the Great Tyrant, Makuta, as he attempts to gloat of his triumph on a captive Helryx. But what he finds surprises him.


A shadowy form lurked among the cold, stone walls of the Great Spirit's Mind. If one being... any being were to gaze upon a spectre, they would not disregard it as a simple shadow or the spirit of a being who lost it's life for a noble or evil cause. No. It belonged to what many consider the most evil and maniacal being to ever roam the Matoran Universe; a being fouler than the stench of rotting flesh and corpses; more wretched than the inner-most thoughts of the most criminal of Skakdi. His name was Makuta Teridax and he was now the Great Tyrant of the Matoran Universe.

He had witnessed many of the inhabitants of his new world and their feeble attempts to refuse him. To deny him.

Pathetic, he thought callously.

He knew that the Matoran, the Toa and every other being in the Universe had a deep and strong drive, buried under their weak and frail forms. No worries. All he had to do was to perform the art of intimidation with whatever methods he could think of; whether it was persuasion, scare tactics or blatant and terrifying force (which always resulted in at least one individual killed by his unforgiving wrath). Then the Matoran would cease their foolish games of rebellion and give themselves to him. Completely and totally.

Still, there were a pocket of those beings that, despite his many threats and killing spree, still held resolute to their morals and their virtues: Unity, Duty and Destiny. Begrudgingly, he had to admit that these virtues he greatly opposed aided him to universal domination: Unity - without the foolish Brotherhood of Makuta's support, he may never had managed to gain control of the Matoran Universe; Duty - by managing to play his facade of loyalty to his masters, he managed to pull off the ultimate heist and seize the Universe; but most of all... Destiny - everything had a Destiny and his was to gain control of the universe (whether he was truly aware of it or not). But he was still mad at the weak Matoran holding on to their petty virtues and who better to take out his anger out on but the very being who vowed to never surrender and promise not to let him win.

Helryx.

He had learned much of the Toa of Water: she was the first Toa in existence and was the leader of a "secret" organization called the "Order of Mata-Nui". He learned that most of their agents were trained in the art of mental shielding to shield their minds from any form of mental attack. But not from him. Helryx found that out the hard way. He stilled remembered the first time he entered the female's mind; she had her hopes, dreams and ambitions for her worlds. Well, she had. He took the liberty of tearing all her hopes down and filling them with utmost dread, terror, and every known horror imaginable. He knew the best way to break someone was with their minds... it did not matter how physically strong or intelligent an individual was, once their minds was in your hands, they too were yours. And he had a whole new idea on how to torture the poor Toa.

The Shadow of the Makuta snaked up the wall, past the two dead figures before the Great Tyrant's chamber. Even he did not know who or why those two beings were in there... not that it mattered.

Finally, he entered the mind chamber, where his greatest triumph took place. The place where he took complete control of everything. The place where he annihilated the Skakdi Zaktan, brainwashed the Toa Hagah, imprisoned Makuta Miserix, sent Brutaka, Axxon and the Keetongu beast on their way and trapped the last bit of resistance of the Matoran Universe in the form of the first Toa.

Speaking of Miserix, he shifted his attention to the portrait on the wall. In it's dragon-shaped frame, it beheld the former leader of the Brotherhood of Makuta in all his fiery yet pathetic glory. He seemed so proud and firm, but Teridax knew that Miserix was in his own form of torture.

"Ah, Miserix," the Great Tyrant hummed mockingly, "if only you and the rest of the Makuta would only see things my way. If only you went along with the plan. I would be certain that you and the others may have lived." He gave himself a short pause, "Then again, maybe not."

Losing interest in the framed Makuta, Teridax turned his attention to the Toa of Water, who was now lying on the floor, her back against the wall, her arms limp, her head hung at the side and most of all, her eyes full of what many would call him.

Nothing.

He paid no attention to these details and began to commence his mental attack.

"So, my dear Helryx," the Makuta chuckled darkly, "how are you today? Feeling any better?"

He expected a response from the fiery Toa of Water; a clever retort, a foolish remark or laughable attempt to get him to have mercy on the Matoran Universe. But what he got was something he did not expect...

Nothing.

This agitated the Great Tyrant. When he gave a statement or declared his law, he expected complete and total attention. But what he got was...

Nothing.

"Excuse me," an agitated Teridax commanded, "I am speaking to you. When I speak, I expect you to listen!"

Nothing.

The Makuta, no sooner, did he finally get suspicious. He knew (or thought he knew) the ways of a Toa or agent: all they had to do was play Xian-Possum and their threats would go away.

"I'll play your game... you rogue. I assure you... that if your body will not speak, then you mind will!"

With that, the Great Tyrant dived into the former Leader of her secret society's mind to being his assault. Oddly enough, he found he had a lot less resistance to entering her mind than what he usually put up with. Not that it mattered... or did it?

He expected a shivering form of Toa Helryx, cradled in one corner of her mind, trying to cope with the fact that she lost and was about to face another round of his torment. But what he found not only surprised him but... dare one say... shocked him.

Nothing.

Nothing at all.

No shredded dreams. No broken spirits. No shattered minds.

**Nothing.**

He left the broken Toa's mind and beheld her frail image, which still lay still on the ground, with her back at the wall and her eyes as dead as stone. But Teridax was not satisfied with this. He never was. He never is. The Great Tyrant believed that she must have had an intensive experience... extensive training in this art of playing Xian-possum. He knew that once he turned his back on her, she would rise up again, only to be stroke back down with brutal brutality. But he wasn't going to wait for her. He would make her.

Calling upon the Rahkshi powers of his, bolts of black and crimson lightning appeared from the walls and stroke the Toa of Water with a fierce and terrible roar. When the smoke cleared, he beheld the Toa of Water still in her current position. Her armor was singed by the lightning attack, but other than that...

Nothing.

Nothing had changed.

At the moment in his life, feelings had entered into his mind and "heart"... feelings he did not have since his creation... feelings he would not be caught dead with...

**Doubt and concern.**

"Did... did I really... k... kill her?" the Great Tyrant murmured, but quickly caught himself, "No. She's trying to play tricks on me... and she's... doing a good job at it."

It seemed as soon as his concern of Toa Helryx's well-being entered his mind, he quickly bashed it and threw it at the back of his mind. All he had to do was check. After all...

Nothing could refuse him.

He once again entered Helryx's body to see if she lived or not. To his relief, she was... but without a spirit of her own, one couldn't call her living. Not anymore.

Wait... why was he relieved to know she was alive? Was it to continue his mental attacks? Was it to further torment her with his ambitions and cruel jokes? Or... was it that... he needed someone? Was it that he needed someone to confine to and talk about his fears and doubts? Was it that what he needed it most in this universe was...

A friend?

"Impossible," the Great Tyrant retorted himself, denial heavy in his voice, "the Great Tyrant needs no friend, for he needs no equal." But despite himself, the pang of doubt hung in his mind. His mind lingered back to the two dead figures before his chamber. "Were those two fools there to keep on eye on Mata-Nui? Were they there to keep him company? Were they there to make sure he did not fall into the trap of becoming...

Nothing?

"Am I falling in his same trap?" Teridax quickly shook himself lose of these guilty pangs, "Who needs these so-called "friend?" I need none. I know none. I am perfectly well on my own. I need...

Nothing... for I have...

**Everything.**

With that, he left the chamber with the "dead" Helryx and proceeded to continue his rule on the Universe and quickly stuck all the things that held him back in his mind. He would deal with those later. But what he didn't realize...

Nothing

Could prepare even him for the turmoil he would encounter.

Nothing

Could stop the conflict that would shake his very foundations.

And he would pay a price.

A very hefty price.


End file.
